


Potential Disaster

by lady_summoner



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-22
Updated: 2016-04-22
Packaged: 2018-06-03 20:31:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,289
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6625147
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lady_summoner/pseuds/lady_summoner
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>[Another 'what-if' ficbit!]  Count Edmont learns what happened to the WoL at Falcon's Nest during the first attempted peace conference...and just how narrowly a much bigger disaster was avoided.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Potential Disaster

**Author's Note:**

> (because seriously, an attempt on the WoL? Drugging or otherwise, you know somebody had to have noticed that. >.>)

              The city was abuzz with news of the upcoming Grand Melee, anticipation lifting the spirits of the people. Not that Edmont couldn’t blame them, he too was looking forward to the tournament with pride. Emmanellian showed no sign of backing down from his promise, and he’d been getting along much better with Artoirel as of late. So when a request from Aymeric came to the Count, he’d made his way down to the Congregation, thinking that the Lord Commander wanted to know who else from House Fortemps would be participating. Instead…

 

\---------

               

                “Drugged?!” Aymeric held up his hands in an attempt to hold off the Count’s temper. “She was **_drugged?!_** When did this happen?!”

                “The day of the peace summit, my lord.” Lucia interjected. Already she had dealt with Aymeric’s temper on the matter, and had elected to stay as he broke the news to Count Edmont. His anger-and that of the Lord Commander is perfectly justified she felt, but these were two men who were still dealing with the loss of a loved one, and had more feelings for the Warrior of Light than just the savior of Ishgard.                

                “We did not find out until a few hours ago ourselves.” Aymeric says, his face grim. “She hid it from all of us-and it would have probably stayed as such had not Thancred came to me.” Edmont gripped his cane, struggling to keep his emotions in check. Anger and insulted pride warred inside him; anger that the Warrior had kept this to herself and at the one who had tried to harm her, that somebody would dare demean the honor of his house by attempting an act on an honored guest of it…

                “How did it happen?” He asked though gritted teeth.

                “The woman was lying in wait for her in the inn’s tavern, disguised as a waitress. When the Warrior of Light entered, she escorted her to a table in the far back and brought her a drink.” Aymeric could barely keep the anger out of his voice as he spoke. “When the trouble started, Master Thancred noted that she hadn’t come outside and went to find her. She was asleep on the floor-and it took him several minutes to wake her up.”

                “He thought that she was just tired from all the goings on.” Lucia added. “But the next day the maid you’d assigned to her rooms came to him. She was up sick all night-and had sworn the woman to secrecy not to tell you or your sons.” Edmont’s fingers tightened around his cane. “He confronted the Warrior, and all she would say was that she’d just had some bad meat. She was adamant that it was nothing to worry about.”

                “He didn’t believe her, and went back to Falcon’s Nest.” Aymeric said. “The innkeeper’s wife remembered throwing out a cup that had a strange smell to it. Master Thancred found it-and took the cup to Mistress Y’shtola. She found it had lingering traces of mandrake.” Shock made Edmont go stock-still.

                “Halone preserve us.” He whispered. When used properly, mandrake was good for inducing unconsciousness or easing pain. But it also had a reputation for being a deadly poison, and given the nature of the protesters at Falcon’s Nest that day… The looks on Aymeric and Lucia’s face only confirmed Edmont’s horror.

                “The other two Scions came to her with the evidence, and she had to tell them.” Lucia said grimly. “She’d only had a few swallows of the ale, praise Halone. When she let Mistress Y’shtola look at her, the poison had cleared her system-but she let the Scions’ healer work on her anyway.”

                “No lingering damage?” Edmont demanded. Aymeric shook his head.

                “None. When she returned to your manor she took a general antidote as a precaution.” Aymeric rested his hands on his lap, fingers curling into fists. “If she’d had any more of that ale…” He trailed off, unable to finish. Yet Edmont knew what the younger elezen hadn’t wanted to say. If the Warrior of Light had died, there would have been the seven hells to pay from the rest of the Eorzean Alliance. Ishgard had only just stabilized their ties with the other city-states (due in no small part to the Warrior herself) and if their hero had fallen while under Ishgard’s care… A sudden suspicion made Edmont’s blood run cold, and he looked at Aymeric and Lucia.

               “Was that the reason why the protesters…”

               “No.” Aymeric answered-but not fast enough, Edmont noted. Lucia pressed her lips into a thin line.

               “The woman claimed she only wanted to disable the Warrior of Light, nothing more.” She said. Yet her words were clipped, and now it was Edmont’s turn to frown.

 _They’re lying._ It was on the tip of his tongue to point that out, to argue the subject-but then Aymeric spoke, his eyes hooded.

              “I expected protesters. I expected violence-after the Brothers of the Faith made their move. Any grievances towards us…” He shook his head. “I was prepared. But to attack her?! I believed that she would be safe-that at the very least, our opponents would at least give her a measure of respect! If not for all of her actions-at least some! Out of everyone in this city, _she_ should at least have some level of safety!” His rage echoed Edmont’s own, and the older elezen closed his eyes, working on throttling back his temper.

             “Does anyone else know of this?” He asked. Aymeric shook his head.

             “Aside from us, the Scions and the woman, no one else.”

             “Master Thancred has already said he will watch the Warrior of Light to ensure something like this doesn’t happen again.” Lucia said. “But he cannot always be with her, as his duties-”

              “I can arrange for men to guard her. Or rather, watch her.” Edmont corrected himself. “And I can assure you that in my home, there will be no harm to her. I’ll change her servants immediately to ones ** _I_** handpick.” He watched as Aymeric nodded. “Why…why did she not say anything?”

                “Because she didn’t want to worry any of you.” Lucia said. “She feared it would be a distraction.” Edmont shook his head.

                “She is a guest of my house, and their safety is…” Anger bubbled up inside him again. _I thought we had settled this with that trial by combat! The Scions and the Warrior of Light are not to be drawn into…_ Pain made Edmont look down, he was gripping his cane so hard that his muscles were starting to cramp. Forcing his muscles to relax, he unclenched his fingers.

                “This must stay secret.” He said. Aymeric’s eyes narrowed. “Or at least-until after the Grand Melee, and some progress has been made in the peace treaty. The Warrior of Light is our key to everything. If it is revealed right now that she was harmed…” He trailed off, not needing to finish. The Lord High Commander and First Commander were smart, they knew the implications.

                _One of the other Houses would attempt something._ Edmont knew that among the higher ranks of Ishgard’s nobility, there were many who did not like the changes that were coming to Ishgard. It was already proven that they were willing to do anything to hold onto their power. The Warrior of Light’s reputation as a god-slayer was enough to make even the staunchest conservative check at the idea of daring to attack her. But if it was shown that she could be harmed…   Edmont watched as Aymeric hung his head, seeing the older man’s point.

                “A secret, then.” He said. Edmont nodded.

                “A secret.” He repeated. Far too much was at stake right now for this to be revealed to the public.

 


End file.
